Tool



Jan. 13, 1942. G. A. TINNERMAN 2,270,153

TOOL

Filed Jan. '24, 1941 4 5 J2 GEORGE A.TIN NERMAN J 5F g. 5 s

Patented Jan; 13, 1942 TOOL George A. Tinnermsn, Cleveland, Ohio, toTinnerman Products, Ina, Cleveland, Ohio,

corporation of Qhio Application January 24, 194i,

This invention deals with an improved tool for use with sheet metal orspring nut devices in applying the same to locked fastening engagementona threaded bolt orstud in a minimum of time and effort.

More particularly, the invention is directed to a tool which may beapplied, in any position, to a sheet metal or spring nut device foreasily and quickly advancing the same to fastening position on a bolt orstud by a substantially axial, thrust-like movement for locking thespring nut in such fastening position and providing a rigid, tightinstallation of the parts secured under continuously effective springtension.

Sheet metal or threadless spring nut devices with which the tool of theinstant invention is employed are constructed of relatively thinsections of any suitable sheet metal, usually in the form of aheat-treated and tempered spring metal body provided with cooperatingtongues or similar bolt engaging means struck and formed therefrom toproject out of the plane thereof for engaging threadedly the threads ofa bolt or screw or having biting engagement with the shank of athreadless stud, rivet, or the like, under spring tension. Certain formsof such nut devices comprise end and bridge portions defining agenerally arched or concavo-convex body with the tongues projectingupwardly therefrom between the side or bridge portions. Due to theinherent resiliency of the spring metal and the manner in which thetongues are provided, such spring nut devices are capable of an easy,quick assembly onto a bolt or stud by a substantially axial thrust andratchet-like action of the tongues with the cooperating shank element.However, on being so applied, in order to provide a locked and rigidfastening engagement preventing accidental loosening, it is necessary tosubject the spring nut to a tensioning operation, which, in the case ofa threaded bolt. disposes the tongues of the spring nut in tensionedfastening engagement with the lowermost effective thread of the boltadjacent the work, and,

a. erases like action, to fastening engagement with the lowermost threadof the bolt. This procedure has been found impractical in many instancesare deformed upwardly in concave, bowed rela- F because the tongues ofthe spring nuts do not tend to snap freely over the threads of the boltor screw, and also, in that-the tongues necessarily secured to renderthe spring nut inemcient and loose in fastening position on the bolt.

In another application, spring nuts of the character referred to, areemployed with threadless shank elements such as nails or rivets. And ithas been found that any substantial pressure exerted onthe tongues of aspring nut prevents the same from being advanced to tightened, fasteningengagement against the work since such pressure prevents the tonguesfrom yielding as necessary to permit the extremities thereof to slideeasily on the threadless shank to the position of most eflectivefastening engagement.

Accordingly, it will be appreciated that in order to obtain the mosteflective and practical results, a tool for applying spring nuts tolocked fastening engagement on a bolt or stud is so designed as tocompress a spring nut at points other than the tongues or similar boltengaging means in a manner whereby such tongues may engage the bolt orstud without being deformed or mutilated out of most eflective fasteningengagement therewith. As shown in prior Patent Number 2,137,929, forexample, in many applications, such a tool is best provided in themanner of spaced head elements which straddle the tongues of a springnut and otherwise engage the longitudinal edges thereof in order' thatthe spring nut may be subjected to a turning move-- ment relative to theassociated stud to tighten the same as necessary or desirable.

However, a tool of this character requires a slight delay to fit thesame properly to the spring thus locked in finally applied fasteningposition. l

Heretofore, certain methods to obtain such tensioned fasten ngengagement of a spring nut on a bolt or stud, have involved the use of atool in the form of a substantial yoke comprising a pair of arms whichcontact the spring tongues on I either side of the bolt to forcethem,-in a ratchetnut for use inthe manner intended and, if such slightdelay may be eliminated, there is obtained a considerable saving, over aperiod of time, from permits an as j and simpliest way and in the leastamount of time and effort, whether by hand or machine, to provide animportant saving in the cost of labor while otherwise advantageouslyexpediting the quantity production of an assembly.

of the bolt adjacent the work simply by pressure on the spring nutitself and without requiring relative turning movement of the nut andbolt fastening members.

Further objects and advantages and other new and useful features of theinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art as thedescription thereof proceeds with reference to the accompanyin'gdrawing, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, in whichlike reference characters designate'like parts throughout the same, andin which:

- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showingtheimproved tool of the in- Thus, in the application of a spring nutemployed with a threaded bolt, the tool of the present invention isdesigned to be applied to the spring nut in any position and exertpressure thereon at points other than the tongues thereof to actuallytension the spring nut in fully tightened fastening position with thebolt and with the tongues or bolt engaging elements thereof disposed inproper and most effective locked, threaded engagement with the lowermosteffective thread of the bolt adjacent the work, and otherwise exertingan axial drawing action on the bolt to provide a tight, rigidinstallation of the parts secured.

Similarly, in the case of a threadless stud, the pressure on the springnut is applied,'likewise, at points other than the tongues, and in amanner to tension the body of the spring nut, such that upon removal ofthe tool and withdrawalof pressure therefrom, the spring nut attempts toassume its initial, generally arched configuration causing theextremities of the tongues to move toward each other to become embeddedin the shank of the stud in substantially equal, locking bitingengagement therewith and otherwise exerting an axial drawing aforesaid.

Another, more specific object of the invention is to provide a tool ofthe kind described for tensioning a spring nut, comprising, a tool h'eadhaving a simple tapering recess, or the like, defining an inclined walland a peripheral head portion adjacent said wall which may be. appliedto engage the generally concave base of a" spring nut in any positionwhile otherwise clearing the tongues or stud engaging elements of thespring nut 'to compress and tension the same without exerting any suchpressure on said tongues or stud engaging elements which would cause adeformation or mutilation thereof out of most effective fasteningengagement with the associated bolt or stud. i

A further principal purpose of the presen invention is to provide such atool which is designed to advance a spring nut device easily and quicklyto locked fastening engagement on a threaded bolt or screw in a directaxial, thrustlike motion without stripping the threads thereof ordeformingthe extremities of the tongues or other thread engaging meansofthe spring nut action-on said stud, as

out of uniform threaded engagement with thefastening engagement withthelowermost thread" shank vention as applied to tension a spring nutassembled in initially applied position on a coopcrating threaded bolt;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the tool as actuated to tension thespring nut in finally applied fastening position;

- Fig. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing thespring nut in bottom plan and the relation of the tool head appliedthereto;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the spring nut per se;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the completed fasteninginstallation of Fig. 2 upon removal of the tool, and,

Fig. 6 is a similar view representing a completed fastening installationembodying a plain shank as in the case of rivet, nail, threadlessconnecting stud, or the like.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawing, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 showa preferred form of tool construction for applying and tensioning aspring nut in the manner described. The tool may be provided for useeither as a hand or machine operated implement to include'a body,designated generally l0, provided with a tool shank II at one end forattachment to any suitable hand operated toolholder or to a chuck orsocket carried'by the ram or plunger of an assembling machine, as may bereadily'understood. The simplicity of thetool body It is such that itmay be formed readily as an integral part of a unitary tool deviceincludinga handle, or, the tool i ll thereof otherwise provided with ascrew-threaded or press-fitted connection with a separate toolholder ina relatively simple conof the tool body III is provided with an inwardlytapering recess substantially in the shape of a truncated cone orpyramid outline, or the like, which defines an inclined circumferentialwall l5 merging into a stud passage or bore 16 extending axially of thetool body. Adjacent said wall I5 of the recess, at the outer or leadingend of the tool, there is thus defined aperipheral tool head portion llhaving an inner diameter l8 and related-dimensions provided inaccordance with the size of the spring nut with which the tool isintended to be used, ashereinafter more fully set forth.

Sheet metal or spring nut devices applied by the tool of the presentinvention are constructed from relatively thin sections of any suitablesheet metal, preferably spring metal such as spring steel, cold rolledsteel or other metal having spring-like characteristics The spring nutsare provided from blanks of various outlines, but preferably in themanner of a substantially rectangular section; as shown in Fig. 4,having a bolt opening and spaced parallel slits on either ized persons.

side thereof defining a pair of cooperating tongues I which are integralat their lower ends or bases 2, as represented in dotted lines, with.

the end portions 3 of the spring nut and project upwardly between theside or bridge portions 6 thereof.

The said end and bridge portions 3, 4, respectively, provide what may betermed, the body of the spring nut, which body is so formed in thestamping operation as to have a pronounced generally arched orconcave-convex configuremay be applied easily and quickly in onedirection to fastening engagement with an associated bolt or connectingstud in the manner of a-substantlal clutch, or the like, but resistingmovement in an opposite direction toward loosening or removal fromapplied fastening position.

In the illustration of Fig. l; the spring nut is shown in initiallyapplied fastening position on a threaded bolt 20 securing the parts A, Bof an installation. In advancing the spring nut to.

such initially applied fastening position, the extremities of theyieldable tongues I have an easy, ratchet-like action with the boltthreads to a point in which the end portions 3 thereof contact the faceof the adjacent part A, with the body of. the spring nut still possessedof its pronounced generally arched or-concav'o-convex configuration.

engage the lowermost effective thread on the, I projecting bolt shankadjacent the part A, substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

When the compressive force is removed from the spring nut device thustensloned, the device attempts to assume its initial, generally archedor concavo-convex configuration in a substantial lifting force which istransmitted to the bending moment which serves to lock the spring nutonto the threaded bolt in finally applied position is produced by thedownward pressure of the engaged bolt thread on the extremities of thetongues, and the upward reaction pressure supplied to the tongues by thetensioned" bridge and end portions 3, 4 in the compressed body of thespring nut attempting to assume its initial, normally untensioned,generally arched or concavo convex configuration.

As previously set forth, the tool of the instant invention is especiallyconstructed to be applied easily and quickly to a spring nut in anyposition and in a minimum of time and efiort to ensure the provision ofa tightened and locked fastening installation in which there is notendency of thetongues of a spring nut to slip or loosen from fasteningposition. This takes place .by reason of the fact that the pressure. foradvancing the spring'nut to such fastening position is applied moredirectly to the bridge and end portions 3, 4 thereof to compress-thesame and thereby tension th device without deforming the tongue elementsthereof out of their initial, essentialogee formation which affords themost effective fastening engagement. Thus, when a spring nut is appliedto a threaded bolt or screw, by the tool of the instant invention,

the tongues or similar bolt engaging means aredisposed in locked,fastening engagement with the lowermost effective thread on the boltadjacent the work, as aforesaid. Similarly, as-shown in Fig. 6, in theapplication of a spring nut to a threadless stud, rivet, or the like,pressure likewise is applied, more particularly, to the bridge portions4, of the spring nut to flatten the gen-.

erally arched body thereof against the adjacent work surface withoutdeforming the tongues; and thus, when thetool is withdrawn and theattendant pressure removed from. said compressed bridge portions 4, thetension stored therein causes the tongues to move inwardly to- 1 wardeach other in equal biting engagement with tongues I to urgetheextremities thereof inwa'rdly toward each other to cut into the adjacentbolt thread surfaces and root diameter of the bolt in locked fasteningengagement therewith. At the same time, the body of the spring nut insuch finally applied fastening position, exerts an axial drawing actionon the bolt shank to tighten automatically the parts secured, whileotherwise assuming the position of a slightly the bolt shank bysubstantial line contact, thereby ensuringa positive locking action atall'times. Simultaneously, an axial drawing action or pull is exerted onthe shank of the rivet or stud by the nut device attempting to assumeits initial, generally arched configuration, such that the assembly notonly is locked in finally applied fastening position, but the partssecured thereby are rigidly and tightly fastened in the'ins'tallationunder continuously effective spring tension.

With the foregoing in view, it will be understood that the tool of thepresent invention is constructed in accordance with the size anddimensions of the selected spring nut to be applied. The recess I5 isprovided of such size that the inner diameter Id of the adjacent toolhead portion I7 approximates the distance between the bases 2 of thetongues or the distance between the points at which said tongues or studengaging elements are integral with the end portions 3 of the springnut. Thus, as shown in and end portions t ofthe spring nut. Thecircumferential wall it of the recess clears the tongues i, .andaccordingly. when pressure is exerted on the tool to compress the springnut, the tool head portion I'I serves to flatten the spring It will beunderstood that thenut against the adjacent work surface A, as shown inFig. 2, without any damaging pressure on the tongues which would deformor mutilate the ame out of their initial shape for engaging threadedlythe bolt threads in the most effective manner. On being advanced to suchtightened fastening position, the extremities of the yieldable tongues Ihave a substantial sliding, or ratchet-like action with the boltthreadswhich permits the same to be applied easily and quickly to thefastening position of Fig. 2, thus, reducing considerably the timeordinarily required for tightening and tensioning the spring nut on thebolt, as by a conventional turning or rotating action thereof.Compression of the spring nut in this way tensions the body thereof anddisposes the tongues in uniform threaded engagement with the lowermosteffective thread of the bolt adjacent the work, and when the tool iswithdrawn, as shown in Fig. 5, the spring nut body attempts to assumeits initial, generally arched or concave-convex configuration causingthe tongue extremities to cut into and become embedded in the bolt shankin locked relation thereto and otherwise exert an axial drawing actionon the bolt to tighten automatically the parts secured thereby, asaforesaid.

Similarly, as shown in Fig. 6, in the application of a sheet metal orspring nut device to a threadless stud, bolt, rivet 25, or the like, thehead portion ll of the tool, in any position, contacts the end andbridge portions 3, 4, respectively, adjacent the bases 2,--of thetongues to compress the spring nut to tensioned, finallyapplied'fastening without any substantial pressure on the tongues. Andwhen the tool is withdrawn and the attendant pressure removed, thespring nut naturally attempts to assume its initial, generally archedconfiguration, and in so doing urges the tongue extremities inwardlytoward each other in substantially equal, line contact, bitingengagementwith the shank therebetween to provide a positive lockedfastening engagement with the threadless bolt or stud and otherwiseexert an axial drawing action thereon to ensure a rigid, tightinstallation at all times.

Though the stud or boltthread engaging elements of the spring nut areshown and described as comprising cooperating yieldable tongues, or thelike, other similar and related types of spring nut devices havingequivalent forms of stud and bolt engaging means may be appliedeffectively totensioned, locked fastening position on a threadlessshank, shouldered stud, or conventional threaded bolt or screw by a toolconstructed for operation and use therewith in accordance with theinstant disclosure. In this respect, if necessary or desirable, the toolhead portion, in any case, may be magnetized whereupon a spring nutdevice which must be applied in close quarters or under other difficultconditions, may be readily positioned on the tool head, substantia asshown in Fig. 3, and the tool then actuated to advance the spring nut tofinally applied fastening position on the associated bolt or stud, allin one simple, expeditious operation, as and for the purposes described.

And while the tool of the instant invention has not restrictive, thescope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather thanby the foregoing description, and all changes which come within themeaning and range of equivalency of the claim are therefore intended tobe embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

A tool for applying a sheet metal spring fastener to tightened,tensioned, fastening position on a cooperating bolt or stud associatedwith work to be secured, the fastener having a resilient body andyieldable bolt or stud engaging elements projecting therefrom. said toolcomprising a body member provided'at one end with a recess and a bolt orstud passage communicating therewith, said passage' being adapted toreceive the bolt or stud and said recess being adapted to receive andclear said projecting stud engaging elements of the fastener, and aperipheral substantially continuous tool head bordering said recesshaving an inner diameter approximating the distance between the bases ofsaid stud engaging elements projecting from the fastener body, wherebysaid tool is adapted to be applied in any position to the fastenertoadvance the same to fastening position on a. 'supported bolt or studwith said substantially continuous peripheral tool head thereof engagingthe fastener body in the areas adjacent the bases of the stud engagingelements projecting therefrom and with the wall of said recess of thetool clearing said projecting stud engaging elements so as to permitfree, unimpeded movement jecting stud engaging elements of the fastenerout of most effective fastening engagement with said bolt or stud.

GEORGE A. TINNERMAN.

